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Gardening makes us Happy - and Serene

"The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. "

~ George Bernard Shaw

The plot of earth outside your door is an everyday conduit to the life that flows within plants, water, trees, sunlight, rocks, birds and assorted creatures.

Anthony Paul - Bridge

Looking at nature in this way is nothing new. The idea of outdoor space as being rarified or special can be seen in the sacred groves of the Egyptians, Indians and Greeks. It is evident in the medieval world’s labyrinths and the Native Americans’ 'medicine wheels'. And of course Chinese geomancy,‘Feng Shui’, and Indian ‘Vaastu’ both tell us how to read the land.

We have re-discovered this way of seeing the natural world and modern science corroborates this. Today amazing, almost mystical, scientific discoveries reveal the vital interconnection between us and nature. It tells us we need to be outside.

Great thinkers such as Lao-Tzu, Pythagoras and Emerson, among others, praised Nature and its enlivening effect upon the spirit. I look to these masters and others for inspiration.

photo by Bill Hudgins

It is my firm belief that the 'numinous dimension' of a garden is where we will find the enchantment we all seek - and need. Toward that end, I share with you my experiences in garden design. I hope it inspires you in some way - to get outside and sing like that little bird above. Btw, I am hard at work on my book, 'Heaven is a Garden' - it will be out in March!

So plant a seed this year. Or a tree. or make a walk or place a rock. Or dig for God like George Bernard Shaw advises. You will find a bit of serenity if you do.

Comments

I just thought I should let you know that I so enjoy your posts, admittedly mostly for the photos, which allow me to take a deep breath and appreciate a little bit of nature via my laptop. Thank you for that. And reading today about nature's effects on humans just illustrates why your blog plays an important role in my mental health.

Tanyagrove - thanks for your lovely comment!And I must admit writing is a way for me to remind myself of what it is all about... but I keep the words to a minimum because I know - like you said - it is all about the photos. :-)

These words really resonate with me "The plot of earth outside your door is an everyday conduit to the life that flows within plants, water, trees, sunlight, rocks, birds and assorted creatures."…You have stated this so eloquently, I am a true admirer and look forward to your new book.

It's probably worth noting at this point that, like methadone, heroin itself was first introduced as a safe, non-addictive cure for movie maker windows 7 -- at least until they started marketing it to children as a cough medication, SATA hard drive failure is just another type of failure.

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Hello! Serenity in the Garden is for anyone who loves the green world and its glories - I share all things 'garden'- flowers, plants, products, designers, techniques and more. The posts are inspiring and informative and are based on my 40 years in the landscape profession.

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